Highchair

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a highchair for babies or small children, comprising a lower base part ( 11 ) and an approximately bowl-shaped seat ( 12 ), which is attached in the upper area of the base part and which comprises an outer seat bowl ( 20 ) that is somewhat larger in holding volume and an inner seat bowl ( 21 ) that is somewhat smaller in holding volume and that can be fit into the outer seat bowl. The inner seat bowl can be fastened to the outer seat bowl so that also larger children can sit in the highchair after the inner seat bowl has been removed. Furthermore, an inclined position of the seat in relation to the base part is preferably provided, for which purpose the seat is moved along a brace attached to the rear of the seat or a bow ( 15 ) that defines a circular path and during said movement the brace is guided in or on a guiding device ( 14 ) connected to the base part. By means of the inclination adjustment, the seat can be moved from a position in which the child is sitting into a position in which the child is lying. Preferably, the height of the seat can also be adjusted.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. national stage of International ApplicationNo. PCT/EP2013/062114 filed on Jun. 12, 2013, and claims the benefitthereof. The international application claims the benefit under 35 USC119 of German Application No. DE 10 2012 105 130.5 filed on Jun. 13,2012; all applications are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND

The instant invention relates to a highchair comprising a lower basepart and an approximately bowl-shaped seat, which is attached in anupper area of the base part.

The typical highchairs of this type are provided for babies, who are notyet able to sit independently in a common chair. The highchair offers asafe place to sit, because the baby can on principle be buckled in saidchair. Most of the time, a table is also present, onto which dishes canbe placed, when the baby has a meal, or onto which toys or otherobjects, for example, can be placed. On principle, such highchairs alsohave an option to adjust the inclined position of the seat in relationto the seat, so that, from a position, in which the baby assumes asitting position, the inclination of the base part can be adjusted suchthat the baby is then in a largely lying position and can thus alsosleep in the highchair and is thereby secured against falling out.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,549 B2 describes a highchair, for example, in thecase of which the inclination adjustment of the approximatelybowl-shaped seat is made such that the seat is held between two supportarms, which, viewed in frontal view, are embodied in an approximatelyU-shaped manner as a whole, so as to be pivotable about a horizontalaxis, which runs in transverse direction. The inclination adjustment ofthe seat takes place via joints comprising fixing mechanisms, which areattached to both sides in the area of the pivot axis, wherein thesefixing mechanisms are operated via ties and the joints are unlocked inthis manner, wherein the operating element, which acts on the ties, islocated approximately in the upper end area of the seat below. In thecase of such a highchair, the child can be moved from an approximatelyupright sitting position into a lying position by inclining the seatbowl.

US 2010/0052387 A1 describes a device for accommodating a small child,which is similar to a couch, in the case of which the small child lieson a lying surface of a textile material, which is fastened to aplurality of braces via zippers or hook-and-loop fasteners. A complexdrive mechanism, which allows for different movement patterns forrocking the child back and forth or up and down, is accommodated in abase frame. In the case of this known device, a brace can also beadjusted along a circular path in relation to the base frame, inresponse to which the brace is moved in a guide along the circular path.This known couch, however, cannot be compared to a common highchair,because it does not provide for a sitting position for the child, inwhich the child consumes food, for example, plays with objects on atray, looks through a book or the like. Instead, this known device onlyserves to calm down the child or to put it to sleep by means of rockingmovements or to amuse the child by means of cradling movements. Due tothe complex drive, the construction of this device is very extensive andexpensive.

When using a rigid inherently stable seat bowl, as in the case of thehighchair according to above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,549 B2, adisadvantage of the known highchairs of this type is that the usage timeis limited, because, due to its size, the stiff seat bowl can onlyaccommodate a child up to a certain size. When the child has reached acertain age, it then no longer fits into the seat bowl, so that theusage time of such a highchair is limited to babies. Even though anexploded view of the mentioned U.S. document shows that a seat bowl,which is identified as backrest therein, represents a separatecomponent, the seat bowl is obviously removed only in response to thedisassembly of the highchair or possibly for cleaning purposes. Afterremoving this backrest, the highchair is present in a non-operationaldismantled state and a use of the highchair in this unfinished statewithout backrest is not described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is the task of the invention to provide an alternative highchair ofthe above-mentioned type, the seating area of which is variable, so thata larger child can also sit in the highchair after a conversion and sothat said highchair thus has a longer useful life.

A highchair of the above-mentioned type comprising the characterizingfeatures of claim 1 provides the solution for this task.

According to the invention, provision is made for the bowl-shaped seatto comprise an outer seat bowl, which is somewhat larger in holdingvolume as well as an inner seat bowl, which is somewhat smaller inholding volume and which can be fixed to the outer seat bowl. Thisalternative makes it possible to remove the inner seat bowl from theouter seat bowl and to thus create a seat comprising a larger holdingvolume, whereby a larger child can be placed into the chair. Thisresults in a use of the highchair for a longer period of time, becausethe seat can quasi be adapted to the size of the child.

A preferred further development of the invention provides for fixingelements at the bowl, which can snap into recesses or correspondingfixing elements of the respective other bowl for fastening the innerseat bowl to the outer seat bowl.

To create a larger holding volume after removing the inner seat bowl,the outer seat bowl preferably has a larger inner width and/or a largerinner height and/or a larger inner depth, approximately at aright-angled expansion to the inner height, and/or a lower height of theseating area relative to the ground, on which the base part stands, ascompared to the inner seat bowl.

A novel design solution alternative for the inclination adjustment of ahighchair of the above-mentioned type is also the subject matter of theinstant invention. For this purpose, provision is made according to theinvention for at least one brace or a bow to be attached to the rearside of the seat and which defines a circular path, along which the seatis moved in response to the inclination adjustment and is thereby guidedin or at a guide device, which is connected to the base part. This typeof inclination adjustment can also be provided in the context of apreferred further development of the invention and can be combined withthe exchangeable inner seat bowl. In particular when wanting to put ababy to sleep, it is advantageous, if the possibility exists to bringthe seat bowl into an approximately horizontal lying position.

The mentioned solution according to the invention results in a novelmotion sequence of the seat in response to adjusting the inclinedposition. While the bowl-shaped seat pivots about a fixed axis, whichgoes through the seat in the state of the art according to U.S. Pat. No.7,905,549 B2, the center of the circular path is located outside of thecontour of the seat, that is, the movement follows a larger pivot radiusand the base area of the seat bowl quasi moves further away from theguide device, which forms a fixed point, in response to adjustment intoa flatter inclined position in the case of the solution according to theinvention.

According to a further development of the invention, provision ispreferably made for the guide device to be capable of beingheight-adjusted in relation to the base part. Regardless of theinclination adjustment, the entire seat is also height-adjustable inthis case. This can be a telescoping height adjustment, for example.Preferably, provision is made according to a further development of theinvention for the guide device to be capable of being height-adjustedlinearly in relation to the base part along a track, which is inclinedto the vertical. In contrast to the state of the art, the heightadjustment thus does not take place in exactly vertical direction, butalong a linear guide at an angle, which differs from the vertical byseveral angular degrees, for example. When the seat is pivoted into aflatter position, the center of gravity moves forward in the case of thehighchair according to the invention. When the inclination of the heightadjustment is towards the rear side, the center of gravity is movedslightly backwards again in response to raising, so that a certaincompensation results here.

Preferably, provision is made according to a further development of theinvention for the height adjustment to be telescopic, comprising anouter column, which is attached to the base part and which is inclinedto the vertical and from which an at least one inner bar can be extendedtelescopically, to which the guide device is attached, or a bar attachedto the base part, in relation to which an outer column, to which theguide device is attached, can be moved in height.

Provision is preferably made according to a further development of theinvention for the column or bar of the telescopic height adjustment tobe attached eccentrically to the base part, for example in the rear areaof the base part, when the seat is arranged upstream of the bar and theguide device. The stability is increased through this and a forwardtilting is avoided.

Preferably, provision is made for a foot rest element, which can beremovably attached to the seat, for the child sitting in the seat. Thisfoot rest element is embodied as having the contour of an approximatelyU-shaped bow, wherein in the fastened state, the bow runs partially at adistance to the lower edge of the seat, so that the child can place thefeet onto the foot rest element below the seat bowl.

According to a further preferred further development of the solution ofthe task according to the invention, a brace-like holder can beremovably attached to the seat bowl at at least two, preferably at threepoints, wherein a storage table for the seat can in turn can beremovably fastened to this holder. In contrast to the state of the art,the holder is thus fastened to the seat bowl itself. Storage table andthe holder thereof can be removed separately from the seat. Ifnecessary, the storage table can be removed, in particular, if one wantsto remove the inner seat bowl from the seat so as to make room for alarger child.

Viewed in the side view of the highchair, the brace or the bowpreferably describes a reference circle and the guide device comprises atubular accommodation, which describes a short circular-arc section,through which the brace or the bow can be slid in response to theinclination adjustment of the seat. In the respective inclinationadjustment, the brace and/or the bow can be locked in place in the guidedevice.

According to a further development of the invention, the brace or thebow, viewed in the side view of the highchair, preferably encompassesthe contour of the bowl-shaped seat at a varying distance, ifapplicable, and/or the seat is fastened in the respective end areas ofthe brace or of the bow, at least at two points of its edge, which arelocated diametrically opposite in the front view. In opposite edgeareas, the seat bowl is thus held at the circular arc-shaped brace, sothat the pivot travel of the seat bowl is quasi maximized in response tothe inclination adjustment and the seat bowl can be pivoted in bothdirections until the edge area in each case strikes against the guidedevice.

The features mentioned in the subclaims relate to preferred furtherdevelopments of the solution of the task according to the invention.Further advantages of the invention follow from the detail descriptionbelow.

The instant invention will be described in more detail below by means ofexemplary embodiments by referring to the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an exemplary highchairaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of the high chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a highchair according to an alternativeversion of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the highchair of FIG. 3, in the case ofwhich the seat was brought into a flatter inclination position;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective exploded view of the highchair according tothe alternative of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a further view of the highchair of FIG. 5, in a perspectiveview from the front, after removing the inner seat bowl;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a highchair according to theinvention, viewed from the rear side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will initially be made below to FIGS. 1 and 2. The highchair10 according to the invention comprises a base part 11, with which thehighchair stands on the ground, and a bowl-like seat 12. Aheight-adjustable column 13 extends upwards from the base part 11,wherein the column does not run upwards vertically from the base part11, but at an angle of a few degrees to the vertical, and wherein aguide device 14 is arranged at the upper end of the column. This guidedevice 14 is hollow on the inside, is tubular and curved in anarch-shaped manner and accommodates a bow 15, which is curved in apartially circular arc-shaped manner, which can be inserted through theguide device. This bow 15, in turn, serves to fasten the bowl-shapedseat 12, which, as can be seen from FIG. 2, is fastened to the bow intwo areas, namely once at the upper end of the bow and once at the lowerend of the bow. Across its length, the bow 15 describes slightly lessthan a semi-circular arch. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the seta 12 has anoval contour and the bow 15 is attached to the seat of the rear side ofthe seat bowl in two areas of the seat bowl located diametricallyopposite one another. When the inclination of the seat is adjusted, thebow (or the brace) 15 is pushed through the guide device 14, thusresulting in different inclination positions, as can be seen in FIGS. 3and 4, which correspond to a more sitting or to a more lying position ofthe child located in the seat. The end points of the pivot travel of thebow 15 through the guide device 14 are defined by the fastening area ofthe bow at the seat bowl.

The base part 11 is embodied such that an increased stability of thehighchair results. The base part can thereby either comprise an outerapproximately U-shaped brace 11 a as well as an approximately V-shapedarea 11 b, from which the holder for the column 13 projects to the top,or, as in the alternative of FIG. 3, the base part comprises an outerring 11 c and also an approximately V-shaped area, from which thecolumn, on which the seat rests, extends upwards. This column canthereby be arranged more or less eccentrically relative to the centerpoint of the base part 11, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 3. Thecolumn 13, has a slight inclination towards the vertical of the rearside of the seat, because the seat 12 extends forward from the bow 15and from the guide device 14, so that the center of gravity of thehighchair is compensated through this and is located approximately abovethe center of the base part 11.

The highchair 10 furthermore comprises a storage table 16 for the smallchild, which can be removed from the highchair and which has a foot restelement 17, which is ring-shaped, has an approximately U-shaped contourand, as can be seen from FIG. 1, runs at a slight distance below thelower edge of the seat bowl 12, which also runs in an arc-shaped manner,so that the small child can comfortably place the feet onto the footrest element. Preferably, the foot rest element 17 can also be removedfrom the seat, as will be explained below.

Two alternatives for height-adjusting the seat are shown in FIGS. 2 and4. In the case of the first alternative according to FIG. 2, the guidedevice 14 is attached to the column 13 and the outer column 13 isextended upwards by means of the guide device 14, for example via apneumatic spring mechanism, which comprises an inner bar (can only beseen in outlines in FIG. 1). In the case of the second alternativeaccording to FIGS. 3 and 4, an outer column 13 is fixedly attached tothe base part 11 and an inner bar 18 is extended telescopically from theouter column 13 when moving the seat 12 upwards. In this case, the guidedevice 14 is located at the upper end of the bar 18 and thus movesupwards with the bar. Guide device 14 and outer column 13 are thusseparated in the case of FIG. 4, while guide device 14 and outer columnare connected to one another and move up together in the case of thealternative according to FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a lower height position ofthe seat 12 and FIG. 4 shows a position, which is moved up slightly,whereby the bow 15 was simultaneously moved by means of the guide device14 and the seat 12 was thus pivoted into a flatter position, whichlargely corresponds to a lying position of the child.

As compared to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 shows that, due to the pivoting of theseat due to the fact that the center point of the circle, about whichthe seat bowl pivots, is located slightly above the seat bowl 12, basedon the steeper position according to FIG. 3, the front base area of theseat bowl 12 is pushed forward into the flatter position according toFIG. 4. The pivot radius, which is defined by a circle, which goesthrough the bow 15, is thus comparatively large, contrary to the casesaccording to the state of the art, where a narrow pivot radius iscreated in that a joint axis goes centrally through the seat itself.

In addition to the height position and the inclination position of theseat 12, the illustration of FIG. 4 also differs in that the storagetable 16 and the foot rest element 17 in FIG. 14 were removed from theseat.

Further details of the setup of the seat 12 of the highchair 10 followfrom the exploded drawing according to FIG. 5. The removed storage table16, which is removed from the seat bowl, can be seen. It can furthermorebe seen that an inner seat bowl 21, which can be removed from an outerseat bowl 20 of the seat 12, is present, which encompasses anapproximately smaller holding volume and which, except for an edge area21 a, can be inserted completely into the outer seat bowl 20, whereinthe edge area 21 a overlaps the edge of the outer seat bowl 20, as canalso be seen in FIG. 3. To fasten the inner seat bowl 21 to the outerseat bowl 20, provision is made for example for fixing elements at theone bowl, which can snap into recesses of the other bowl. Thesefastening elements are not illustrated in FIG. 5. A brace-like holder 19for fastening the storage table 16 is removably fastened to the innerseat bowl 21, to which, in turn, the storage table 16 can be removablyattached. The brace-like holder 19 can consist, for example, of a middlebrace, which rises vertically, which supports the storage table, and ofan approximately U-shaped brace, which runs horizontally and which isconnected to the vertically rising brace, approximately in the center inthe front. With its ends, which are directed inwards toward the innerseat bowl 21, the U-shaped brace, which runs horizontally, is fastenedto said inner seat bowl, while the vertical brace is fastened to theseat bowl by means of its lower end. With its bottom side, the storagetable 1 bears on the horizontal U-shaped brace.

As furthermore follows from FIG. 5, the U-shaped foot rest element 17(see also FIG. 3) can be removed from the seat 12 of the highchair. Forthis purpose, the foot rest element 17 can be attached from the bottom,for example, onto the outer seat bowl 20 such that it clasps the edge ofthe outer seat bowl 20 in the lower area in a clamping manner by meansof its two U-journals, wherein, however, a distance remains between theU-arch of the foot rest element 17 and the lower edge of the seat bowl,which runs in a similar U-shaped arch as can be seen in FIG. 1, so thatthe child can comfortably place the feet thereon.

The purpose for removing the smaller inner seat bowl 21 from the largerouter seat bowl 20, which is shown in FIG. 5, is that the holding volumeof the seat bowl can be increased therewith and that the highchair,which is suitable for babies with the inner seat bowl 21, can beconverted into a highchair, in which larger children can sit as well,with comparatively little effort. FIG. 6 once again illustrates aperspective view of the highchair of FIG. 5 with removed inner seat bowlin a view from the front at an angle, so that, as compared to FIG. 1, itcan be seen in FIG. 6 that the outer seat bowl 20 now offers more space,because the seat plane is now located lower than in the case of anassembled inner seat bowl and because the holding volume of the outerseat bowl 20 as a whole is larger than that of the inner seat bowl, thatis, the outer seat bowl 20 preferably has a larger inner width, largerinner height, a larger inner depth, in approximately right-angledexpansion to the inner height, and/or a lower height of the seat surfacerelative to the ground, on which the base part stands, as compared tothe inner seat bowl 21.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a highchair according to theinvention, similar to the alternative according to FIGS. 1 and 2, viewedfrom the rear side. From this view, it can be seen that the bow 15,which is guided through the guide device 14, can have a flat oval crosssection, for example, and does not necessarily need to have a circularcross section. It can furthermore be seen in FIG. 7 that a locking lever22, which is supported in a hinged manner on the rear side of the guidedevice, is located at the latter. When this locking lever 22, whichencompasses an eccentric for clamping, for example, is pivoted upwards,the bow 15 in the guide device is loosened through this and can now bemoved therein, while the bow 15 is fixed in the guide device 14 and inthe lower position of the locking lever 22 and can thus not moved, sothat the seat is then locked in place in the corresponding inclinedposition.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10 highchair-   11 base part-   11 a U-shaped brace-   11 b V-shaped area-   11 c outer ring-   12 seat-   13 column-   14 guide device-   15 partially circular arc-shaped bow-   16 storage table-   17 foot rest element-   18 bar-   19 brace-like holder-   20 outer seat bowl-   21 inner seat bowl-   21 a edge area-   22 locking lever

1. A highchair comprising a lower base part and an approximatelybowl-shaped seat, which is attached in an upper area of the base part,characterized in that the bowl-shaped seat (12) comprises an outer seatbowl (20), which is somewhat larger in holding volume as well as aninner seat bowl (21), which is somewhat smaller in holding volume andwhich can be fit into the outer seat bowl, and which can be fixed to theouter seat bowl.
 2. The highchair according to claim 1, characterized inthat provision is made at the one bowl for fixing elements, which cansnap into recesses of the respective other bowl, for fastening the innerseat bowl (21) to the outer seat bowl (20).
 3. The highchair accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the outer seat bowl (20) has a largerinner width and/or a larger inner height and/or a larger inner depth,approximately at a right-angled expansion to the inner height, and/or alower height of the seating area relative to the ground, on which thebase part (11) stands, as compared to the inner seat bowl (21).
 4. Ahighchair comprising a lower base part and an approximately bowl-shapedseat, which is attached in an upper area of the base part, characterizedin that the inclination of the seat can be adjusted and that, for thispurpose, at least one brace or a bow (15), which defines a circularpath, along which the seat is moved in response to the inclinationadjustment and is thereby guided in or at a guide device, which isconnected to the base part, is attached to the rear side of the seat(12).
 5. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that theguide device (14) can be height-adjusted in relation to the base part(11).
 6. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that theguide device (14) can be height-adjusted linearly in relation to thebase part (11) along a track, which is inclined to the vertical.
 7. Thehighchair according to claim 4, characterized in that the latterencompasses a height adjustment of the seat (12), which is telescopic,comprising an outer column (13), which is attached to the base part (11)and which is inclined to the vertical and from which an at least oneinner bar (18) can be extended telescopically, to which the guide device(14) is attached or a bar attached to the base part, in relation towhich an outer column (13), to which the guide device is attached (14),can be moved in height.
 8. The highchair according to claim 7,characterized in that the column (13) or bar (18) of the telescopicheight adjustment is attached eccentrically to the base part (11). 9.The highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that a foot restelement (17) for the child sitting in the seat, which can be removablyattached to the seat, is embodied as having the contour of anapproximately U-shaped bow, wherein in the fastened state, the bow runspartially at a distance to the lower edge of the seat.
 10. The highchairaccording to claim 1, characterized in that a brace-like holder (19) canbe removably attached to the seat bowl at at least two, preferably atthree points, wherein a storage table (16) for the seat can in turn canbe removably fastened to this holder.
 11. The highchair according toclaim 4, characterized in that, viewed in the side view of thehighchair, the brace or the bow (15) describes a reference circle andthe guide device (14) comprises a tubular accommodation, which describesa short circular-arc section, through which the brace or the bow (15)can be slid in response to the inclination adjustment of the seat (12).12. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that, viewed inthe side view of the highchair, the brace or the bow (15) encompassesthe contour of the bowl-shaped seat (12) at a varying distance, ifapplicable, and/or the seat is fastened in the respective end areas ofthe brace or of the bow, at least at two areas of its edge, which arelocated diametrically opposite in the front view.
 13. The highchairaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the inclination of the seatcan be adjusted and that, for this purpose, at least one brace or a bow(15), which defines a circular path, along which the seat is moved inresponse to the inclination adjustment and is thereby guided in or at aguide device, which is connected to the base part, is attached to therear side of the seat (12).